The Ramayan and the Mahabharata are two very important epics alleged to be written as history by the sages Valmiki and Vyasa respectively, and perhaps in relatively recent periods, but these events are alleged to be of very old dates, i.e. during the periods of 20th and 22ndTirthankaras of the Jain time cycle. However, no Indus seal indicates any story of the Ramayana or the Mahaharata in its texts, suggesting that in the Indus culture they carried no importance. One seal is very specially showing the historical incidence of the two sons of AdinathRishabhdeo when Bahubali lifted his elder brother Bharat up, to throw him down on the ground during a physical show of force. Bahubali means ‘strong person’ or ‘muscle man’. He used to play with sharduls … Bharat is shown with a crown in the text. After winning the competition Bahubali immediately took renunciation under remorse, standing upright in meditaion for one continuous year. Seeing this, his two sisters, Brahmi and Sundari, approached him and explained him that he should get rid of that remorse and ego, as to a pure soul nothing belongs. Bahubali then immediately realized the purity of the soul, becoming omniscient and died immediately. He thus became the first kevali in this avasarpini and attained nirvana.

Another story – of two princely brothers who as children went to a guru ashram for education and returned back as charming youths of 25 years of age having completed education – is also seen in the Indus seals as two ascetics who finally attained nirvana. They did not know that during their absence their parents had given birth to a girl, their sister. On their return they were welcomed with great pomp and suddenly they saw a beautiful girl smiling at them from the terrace. Instantly both lost their hearts for her. When the elder brother spoke of it to his younger brother the younger one took out his sword, saying that she was his choice and the other one should not dare to think of her. The argument took heights and instead of reaching the awaiting parents at palace entrance they were ready to kill each other. When a minister saw it he tried to pacify them asking the reason of fight. Both the brothers asked about the girl they wanted to marry. The minister got perplexed and with head down murmured that she was their own younger sister. The brothers were shocked, ashamed and out of remorse to their youthful foolish lust they immediately turned their back to worldly charms, took renunciation and walked away to do penance with the aim not ever to be born again. They became the famous ascetics named Desh bhushan and Kul bhushan and having achieved salvation during the period of the 20th Tirthankara and the writing of the Ramayan epos. Their whole story is reflected in the Indus seals in steps, as twin features.

They achieved salvation from a site now known as a Jain pilgrimage site ‘Kunthalgiri‘. The two ascetics under their penance are shown on many Jain pilgrimage sites, including the Adishila of Sravana Belagola.